Verdi Macbeth opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei. Directed 2009 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Paris Opéra Bastille. Stars Dimitris Tiliakos (Macbeth), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Banquo [Banco]), Violeta Urmana (Lady Macbeth), Letitia Singleton (Lady attending Lady Macbeth), Stefano Secco (Macduff), Alfredo Nigro (Malcolm), and Yuri Kissin (Doctor/Servant). Teodor Currentzis conducts the Paris Opera Orchestra and the Paris Opera Children Chorus (Chorus Master Alessandro Di Stéfano). Set and costume design by Dmitri Tcherniakov; lighting by Gleb Filshtinksy, costume design collaboration by Elena Zaytseva; scenic video by Leonid Zalessky of Ninja Films; directed for video by Andy Sommer; produced by Flançois Duplat. Released in 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreMussorgsky Boris Godunov opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2010 by Andrei Konchalovsky at the Teatro Regio di Torino. Stars Orlin Anastassov (Boris Godunov), Alessandra Marianelli (Xenia), Pavel Zubov (Fyodor), Ian Storey (The Pretender, known as Gri gory) , Vladimir Vaneev (Pimen), Peter Bronder (Prince Shuisky), Vasily Ladjuk (Andrey Shchelkalov), Vladimir Matorin (Varlaam), Luca Casalin (Missail), Nadezhda Serdjuk (Innkeeper), Evgeny Akimov (Holy Fool), Elena Sommer (Nurse), John Paul Huckle (Nikitich), Oliviero Giorgiutti (Mityukha), Matthias Stier (Boyar-in-attendance), Alessandro Dimasim (Krushchyov), Bruno Pestarino (Lewicki), and Riccardo Ferrari (Czernikowski). Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Turin Orchestra, the Chorus of the Teatro Regio (Chorus Master Roberto Gabbiani), and the Children's Choir of the Teatro Regio and the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatoire, Turin (Chorus Master Claudio Fenoglio). Assistant Director was Irkin Gabitov; lighting by Andrei Konchalovsky; sets by Graziano Gregori; costumes by Carla Teti; movement direction by Ramune Chodorkaite; directed for TV by Francesca Nesler; Executive Producer was Edoardo Fioravanti. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MorePuccini La Bohème opera to a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Directed 2009 by John Copley at the Royal Opera House. Stars Teodor Ilincai (Rodolfo), Hibla Gerzmava (Mimì), Gabriele Viviani (Marcello), Inna Dukach (Musetta), Kostas Smoriginas (Colline), Jacques Imbrailo (Schaunard), Jeremy White (Benoit), Donald Maxwell (Alcindoro), Alan Duffield (Parpignol), Bryan Secombe (Sergeant), and Jonathan Coad (Costums Officer). Andris Nelsons conducts The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning), the Royal Opera Chorus (Chorus Director Renato Balsadonna), and the Tiffin Children's Chorus (Chorus Director Simon Toyne). Designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman; lighting design by John Charlton after William Bundy. Film directed by Robin Lough; music direction by Frances Whitaker; produced by David Groves. Released 2010, this disc has 5.1 dts- Master Audio sound. Grade: C+
This John Copley production of La Bohème harks back to 1974. It competes now (2011) with the Del Monaco production at the Teatro Real, the Dornhelm motion picture, and Jonathan Miller's version at the ENO. These shows tend to make Copley's small, chopped-up interior sets and fussy costumes look obsolete.
Read MorePuccini La Bohème opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. English libretto by Amanda Holden based on the Italian version. Directed 2009 by Jonathan Miller at the English National Opera. Stars Roland Wood (Marcello), Alfie Boe (Rodolfo), Pauls Putinš (Colline), David Stout (Schaunard), Simon Butteriss (Benoit), Melody Moore (Mimì), Philip Daggett (Parpignol), Hanan Alattar (Musetta), Richard Angas (Alcindoro), Christoper Ross (Policeman), and Andrew Tinkler (Official). Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts the chorus & orchestra of the English National Opera. Set designs by Isabella Bywater; lighting by Jean Kalman; directed for TV by Robin Lough. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Grade: C+
This new Jonathan Miller English language production of La Bohème was first staged in 2009 at the English National Opera Coliseum.
We love Amanda Holden's fresh new English transliteration. To make the words easy to follow she comes up with tons of new thoughts and images that sound natural to contemporary English speakers while remaining faithful to the spirit of Giacosa and Illica. If you are a native English speaker and just getting into opera, you might prefer the ENO version for this reason alone. Kultur kindly provided English language subtitles. With the subtitles on we could follow almost all the singing perfectly.
Read MoreGiacomo Puccini La Bohème opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. This is a motion picture version of the opera directed by Robert Dornhelm. Stars Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Rolando Villazón (Rodolfo), Nicole Cabell (Musetta), George von Bergen [voice by Boaz Daniel] (Marcello), Adrian Eröd [voice by Stéphane Degout] (Schaunard) , and Vitaly Kovalyou (Colline). Bertrand de Billy conducts the Baravian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Chorus of the Bayerischer Rundfunk, and the Children's Chorus of the Staatstheatre am Gärtnerplatz, Munich. Released in 2009, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. An HDVD of this movie was released in the U.S. by Kultur, which may be restricted to Region A. It appears this Axiom version is region free. Grade: A-
In this mini-review we discuss the merits of the Dornhelm movie as compared to the Opus Arte HDVD of La Bohème directed by Giancarlo del Monaco at Theatro Real in Madrid. Earlier we praised del Monaco for "movie-slick" directing with "fine acting touches." And now we have a real movie made with the full armada of technology devoted to photographing persons who are acting to match pre-recorded music. (That's right, Netrebko, Villazón, Cabell, and Kovalyov were not recorded at the photographic sessions. Von Bergen and Eröd are not singers at all and were selected for their looks).
Read MoreGiacomo Puccini La Bohème opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. This is a motion picture version of the opera directed by Robert Dornhelm. Stars Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Rolando Villazón (Rodolfo), Nicole Cabell (Musetta), George von Bergen [voice by Boaz Daniel] (Marcello), Adrian Eröd [voice by Stéphane Degout] (Schaunard) , and Vitaly Kovalyou (Colline). Bertrand de Billy conducts the Baravian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Chorus of the Bayerischer Rundfunk, and the Children's Chorus of the Staatstheatre am Gärtnerplatz, Munich. Released in 2009, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Alert: this item may be restricted to Blu-ray Region A. (If Region A is a problem, consider the region-free Axiom version of this title.) Released 2008, disc has Dolby 5.1 sound. Grade: B+
Here we have Kultur's release of Dornhelm's movie. Earlier, Axiom released their own version that is region free.
Read MoreHector Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini opera to a libretto by Léon de Wailly and Henri Auguste Barbier. Directed 2007 by Philipp Stölzl at the Großes Festspielhaus during the Salzburg Festival. Stars Burkhard Fritz (Benvenuto Cellini) , Maija Kovalevska (Teresa), Laurent Naouri (Fieramosca), Brindley Sherratt (Giacomo Balducci), Mikhail Petrenko (Pope Clemens VII), Kate Aldrich (Ascanio), Xavier Mas (Francesco), Roberto Tagliavini (Bernardino), Adam Plachetka (Pompeo), and Sung-Keun Park (Innkeeper). Also features dancers Gabrio Gabrieli, Francesco Pedone, Marie Seeger, Tobias Wozniak, and acrobats Silke Adolph, Andy Arndt, and Thomas Dürrfeld. Valery Gergiev conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor (Chorus Master Andreas Schüller). Stage design by Philipp Stölzl; costumes by Kathi Maurer; lighting by Duane Schuler; video projections by Stefan Kessner and Max Stolzenberg; dramatic advice by Ronny Dietrich; choreography by Mara Kurotschka; fencing direction by Alexander Ourth; video technique by Gunnar Lindner. Video director Andreas Morell. Produced by Bernhard Fleischer. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreGiuseppe Verdi Aida opera to libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Directed 2009 by Sonja Frisell at the Met (with Stage Director Stephen Pickover and Assistant Stage Director J. Knighten Smit). Stars Roberto Scandiuzzi (Ramfis), Johan Botha (Radamés), Dolora Zajick (Amneris), Violeta Urmana (Aida), Stefan Kocán (The King), Adam Laurence Herskowitz (A Messenger), Jennifer Check (A Priestess), Carlo Guelfi (Amonasro). Dancers are Christine Freeman and Bradley Shelver. Daniele Gatti conducts the Metropolitan Orchestra and Chorus (Chorus Master Donald Palumbo). Sets by Gianni Quaranta; costumes by Dada Saligeri; lighting by Gil Wechsler; choreography by Alexei Ratmansky; stage band directed by Gregory Buchalter; dramaturgy by Paul Cremo. Directed for TV by Gary Halvorson; Music Producer was Jay David Saks; Supervising Producers were Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park; Producers were Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik. Sung in Italian. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreHandel Belshazzar opera to a libretto by Charles Jennens. Directed 2008 by Christof Nel with Martina Jochem at the Aix Festival. Stars Kenneth Tarver (Belshazzar), Rosemary Joshua (Nitocris), Bejun Mehta (Cyrus), Kristina Hammarström (Daniel), and Neal Davies (Gobrias). René Jacobs conducts the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and the RIAS Kammerchor (Chorus Master Tim Brown). Sets by Roland Aeschlimann; costumes by Bettina Walter; lighting by Olaf Freese; filmed by Don Kent. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreGioachino Rossini Il Barbiere di Siviglia opera to libretto by Cesare Sterbini. Directed 2005 by Emilio Sagi at the Teatro Real de Madrid (Assistant Stage Director Javier Ulacia). Stars Juan Diego Flóres (Conte d'Almaviva), María Bayo (Rosina), Bruno Praticò (Bartolo), Pietro Spagnoli (Figaro), Ruggero Raimondi (Don Basilio), Marco Moncloa (Fiorello), Susana Cordón (Berta), Enrique Sánchez Ramos (An Official), Antonio Ortega (Ambrogio), and José Antonio Sanguino (Notary). Dancers are Mar Moreira, Susana González, Encarna Piedrabuena, Delia Rodríguez, Cristina Arias, Rodrigo Alonso, David Bernardo, Juan Busto, Fermín Calvo de Mora, Damián Donado, Rafa González, Luis Hacha, Julián Herrero, Joaquín León, Jorge López, David Martín, Pedro Navarro, Antonio Ortega, Joseba Pinela, Carlos Quirós, Luis Romero, José Antonio Sanguino, Aitor Santamaría, Marco Sauco, and Gregorio Such Fuster. Continuo: Patricia Barton (piano); John Paul Friedhoff (cello); Luis Augusto de Fonseca (double bass). Gianluigi Gelmetti conducts the Orquesta Titular del Teatro Real and the Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid (Chorus Master: Jordi Casas). Sets by Llorenç Corbella (assisted by Montse Garre); costumes by Renata Schussheim (assisted by Susana Mendoza); lighting by Eduardo Bravo; directed for TV by Ángel Luis Ramírez; produced for TV by Ángela Álvarez Rilla; music preduced by James Whitbourn; stereo and surround sound by Andy Rose; Hans Petri was Executive Producer. Released 2008, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-
Gordon Smith and his L'OperaDou jury awarded the grade of "A-" to this title.
Read MoreRichard Strauss Ariadne auf Naxos opera to libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Directed 2006 by Claus Guth at Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Emily Magee (Ariadne/Primadonna), Elena Moçuc (Zerbinetta), Roberto Saccà (Tenor/Bacchus), Alexander Pereira (Haushofmeister), Michael Volle (Musiklehrer), Michelle Breedt (Komponist), Randall Ball (Offizier), Guy de Mey (Tanzmeister), Andrew Ashwin (Perückenmacher), Ruben Drole (Lakai), Gabriel Bermúdez (Harlekin), Martin Zysset (Scaramuccio), Reinhard Mayr (Truffaldin), Blagoj Nacoski (Brighella), Eva Liebau (Najade), Irène Friedli (Dryade), and Sandra Trattnigg (Echo). Christoph von Dohnányi conducts the Orchestra der Oper Zürich. Set and costume designs by Christian Schmidt; dramaturgy by Ronny Dietrich; lighting by Jürgen Hoffmann; directed for TV by Thomas Grimm. Released 2009, this disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B
Read MoreVerdi Aida opera to libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Directed 2006 by Franco Zeffirelli at the Teatro alla Scala. Stars Violeta Urmana (Aida), Roberto Alagna (Radamès), Ildiko Komlosi (Amneris), Giorgio Giuseppini (Ramfis), Carlo Guelfi (Amonastro), Marco Spotti (The King), Antonello Ceron (Messenger), and Sae Kyung Rim (Priestes) in singing roles. Dancers from the Teatro alla Scala Ballet are Luciana Savignano, Roberto Bolle, and Myrna Kamara. Riccardo Chailly directs the Orchestra e coro del Teatro alla Scala (Chorus Master Bruno Casoni). Sets by Franco Zeffirelli; costumes by Maurizio Millenotti; lighting by Gianni Mantovanini; choreography by Vladimir Vassiliev. Directed for TV by Patrizia Carmine. Released 2008, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B
Read MoreJonathan Dove The Adventures of Pinocchio opera to libretto by Alasdair Middleton. Directed 2008 by Martin Duncan at Sadler's Wells Theater (James Bonas Assistant Director). Stars Victoria Simmonds (Pinocchio), Jonathan Summers (Geppetto), Mary Plazas (The Blue Fairy), Rebecca Bottone (Cricket/Parrot), Graeme Broadbent (Puppeteer/Ape-Judge/Ringmaster/Big Green Fisherman), Allan Clayton (Lampwick), Mark Wilde (Cat), James Laing (Fox/Coachman), Carole Wilson (Pigeon/Snail), Paul Gibson (Barker), Ben Kerslake (Arlecchino), Gillene Herbert (Rosaura), Nicholas Butterfield (Pantalone), Jeremy Peaker (Owl Doctor/Bricklayer), Campbell Russell (Craw Doctor), Hazel Croft (Beetle Doctor), Edward Thornton (Coal-Merchant), and Anthony Cunningham (Drum Maker). Dancers are Ted Sikström, Stacy Abalogun, Marie Andersen, and James Roberts. David Parry conducts the Orchestra (Anthony Kraus Assistant Conductor) and Chorus (Bernhard Schneider Chorus Master) of Opera North. Set and costume design by Francis O'Connor; lighting by Davy Cunningham; movement direction by Nick Winston. Directed for video by Thomas Grimm; sound production by James Whitbourn; produced by Ferenc van Damme and Hans Petri. Sung in English. Released 2009, disc has 5.1 Dolby TrueHD sound. Grade: C
Read MoreHandel Admeto opera to libretto by Aurelia Aureli and Ortensio Mauro. Directed 2006 by Axel Köhler at Opernhaus Halle as part of the the Halle Handel Festival. Stars Matthias Rexroth (Admeto), Romelia Lichtenstein (Alceste), Mechthild Bach (Antigona), Tim Mead (Trasimede), Raimund Nolte (Ercole), Melanie Hirsch (Orindo), Gerd Vogel (Moraspe), and Howard Arman/Alex Köhler (Voice of Apollo). Howard Arman conducts the Handel Festival Orchestra playing historical instruments. Stage design by Roland Aeschlimann; costumes by Marie-Thérèse Jossen; masks by Mario Ansinn; lighting by Matthias Hönig. Directed for TV by Ute Feudel. Released in 2009, this disc features 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C+
Read MoreHandel Acis and Galatea opera to libretto by John Gay, Alexander Pope, and John Hughes. Directed 2009 by Wayne McGregor (assistant Laïla Diallo) at the Royal Opera House. The singing stars are Danielle de Niese (Galatea, a Nymph), Charles Workman (Acis, a Shepherd), Paul Agnew (Damon, a Shepherd), Matthew Rose (Polyphemus), Ji-Min Park (Coridon, a Shepherd), Juliet Schiemann (Chorus Soprano Soloist), and Phillip Bell (Chorus Tenor Soloist). The dancing stars from the Royal Ballet are Lauren Cuthbertson (Galatea), Edward Watson (Acis), Steven McRae (Damon), Melissa Hamilton (Damon), Eric Underwood (Polyphemus), and Paul Kay (Coridon). Other dancers are Olivia Cowley, Cindy Jourdain, Kristen McNally, Iohna Loots, Samantha Raine, Brian Maloney, Liam Scarlett, Johannes Stepanek, and Dawid Trzensimiech. Christopher Hogwood conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (leader: Kati Debretzeni) and the The Royal Opera Extra Chorus (Chorus Master: Stephen Westrop). Continuo: harpsichord by Julian Perkins; theorbo by Jan Čižmář; cello by Andrew Skidmore. Chamber organ by Steven Moore. Designs by Hildegard Bechtler; lighting by Lucy Carter; film director was Jonathan Haswell. Released in 2010, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D+
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